W.E.A.

Shannon News, 13 August 1926, Page 3

W.E.A.

♦ — “THE ABNORMAL.’ The usual weekly gathering of the Levin Branch of the W.E.A. met in the Band Room on Tuesday evening at 7.30. Mr Bell [presided over a good gathering of members and visitors. In dealing with the subject of tire abnormal, the lecturer (Rev. J. D. McArthur) stated that not so very many years ago those who were, sick were believed to be possessed by evil spirits and tile treatment consisted in the incantations and weird antics of priests and sorcerers. We have gone a long way past this in our understanding and treatment of diseases, but it is a question whether we have really advanced very far in our treatment of social diseases. “Abnormal” . Psychology offers a field of research both vast and fascinating and it is claimed by Dr. Macdougal that more serious students are engaged here than in any* other branch of the science. The ordinary man is so accustomed to the ordinary actions of ordinary' people that he "is at times impatient of research in this direction. But. when he is gravely and persistently informed by a man that bis conduct is constantly dictated by an invisible being; that he sees beside him a figure invisible to others; that he is the emperor of the world; or when lie hears of men and women who suffer throiugh self-inflicted ■mutilations; or who Refuse to move hand or foot for months, then he feels that some explanation is necessary. Until recently mental disturbances were believed to arise through brain injury only. It is, now known that various forms are due to disturbance in the nervous " organisation. There : are yet some who think that “nerve” trouble is mainly “pure cussedness” and advocate such drastic treatment as corporal punishment, cold baths, electric shocks, i?tjc. In this field medical men are giving great, attention to treatment of the mind and in the near future advance will be made here as in other branches of medical science. A form of disturbance or, irregularity known as “dual personality” is met ivith. ( The sufferer is now under the control of the one, now the other. The normal life seems to give way suddenly and the will act strangely—sometimes going away under an alias and remaining for Weeks or months. Just as suddenly he will recover his pioise and return. This is really a very much accentuated form of “depression.” Under ..unusual conditions we are. all disposed to be pessimistic, but do not get out of control, our friends do not find it necessary to talk of the need of “half-way houses.” Professor Freud, of Vienna,, has advanced an interesting theory to account for many cases of hysteria. He states that our organised conative tendencies are apt to come into conflict with one another, producing what are known as moral struggles. Every case of .temptation involves suoli a conflict. We are tempted to follow a line of action which we believe to be morally wrong, and we arm ourselves against this with all the moral conative tendencies we can and so secure a victory. Some natures, especially among women, who have been brought up a strict conventional lines react in different ways to these temptations. They will not admit the true nature idtf the temptation and are afraid to bring it out 'into the light and grapple with it. The tendency is repressed but sinks in an underground fashion, constantly seeking to force its way: It is all right so long as the health is good, but as soon as a “run down" condition is reached then mental disturbance follows. If all young people could be taught the great difference between temptation and sin, much hysteria could and would be avoided.

Mental Deficiency.—-Were the people of the world divided into those who are so poorly equipped as to be almost mindless, and those who are outstanding mentally, it would be an easy matter to draw the line between the normal and abnormal. But this is not easy because mentality grades all the way from, the man who is almost all animal —and poor at that to our Bacons, Newtons, Shakespeai’es, etc. In order to catalogue people one must approach the matter from the biological side. The essential purpose of mind is the ability to maintain existence. Nature provides the lower form of life with teeth and claws, spines, colourings, stings, fleetness of foot, etc'., but man is poorly equipped in these tilings. His survival would be impossible but for the fact that he can maintain existence by inventiveness. He clothes himself appropriately, he stores his food, he makes tools and weapons so that maintenance has ceased to be a matter of brute force. All who are not able to maintain existence may be regarded as abnormal —this need not be in every case, an implication to be deplored—by infants, aged, etc. In the man there are three types of mental disorder: —Dementia —the mind in process of decay; insanity, the functions of the mind disordered; mental deficiency, the essential functions arrested in development. Strangely, many of the greatest minds of history ranked low in intelligence standards when they were at school. Darwin and Newton both were thought to be hopeless. , In law certain grades of mental disorder are recognised. Idiots, those who are unable to guard themselves against common physical dangers; imbeciles, who are incapable of managing themselves and their affairs; feeble-minded, who require care and control; moral imbeciles, who have strong vicious tendencies and on whom punishment has no deterrent effect. We see tihen that all who are

unable to conform to the social requirements and environment without some degree of external control are abnormal. When a man is not able to form simple abstract ideas, and to appreciate simple symbols, his appreciation of his environment is so inadequate that he needs some measure of control he is then to be regarded as abnormal. Society demands that its members should behave socially so that primitive instincts and tendencies must be kept in control. The development of 'this control is the “social and moral sense.” All who are underdeveloped here disregard the rights of others, and from this class our criminals are drawn. It is without question that the stability, even the existence of a nation must depend s not upon its laws, institutions, or wealth, but upon the vigour, the character, and the mental capacity of its citizens. ’ Mr McArthur dealt at some length with the abnormal as experienced in “Dreams,” showing what were and are the factors contributory to the dreaming state, and how that the grotesque and the fearful things can happen. We all dream largely in terms of sight for the same reason that we remember and imagine largely in terms of the visual. Attention is selective, but in dreaming attention is non-existent, therefore all kinds of impossible things are allowed in without question. The subjects of hypnosis and distraction were dealt with as parts of the abnormal. In closing, the lecturer dealt with crime and criminals, predicting a great advance in the near future in our -treatment of these things and people. As usual the discussion was animated, (interesting, and helpful.